


A Sting in the Tale

by Bethann, Minniemoggie



Series: Legendary Friendship [23]
Category: The Lord of the Rings (Movies), The Lord of the Rings - All Media Types, The Lord of the Rings - J. R. R. Tolkien
Genre: Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Family Drama, Family Feels, Father Figures, Father-Son Relationship, Spanking, Teenagers, tacit agreement
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-12-25
Updated: 2015-01-07
Packaged: 2018-03-03 11:31:33
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 18,634
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2849375
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Bethann/pseuds/Bethann, https://archiveofourown.org/users/Minniemoggie/pseuds/Minniemoggie
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>This takes place on Tol Eressea, shortly after the events of "Spring Fever".  Aerlinn begins her new position as a gardener and a disagreement about bees turns into a battle of the sexes.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Please read the series notes to understand our Alternate Universe. You must accept our a/u ideas for this story to make sense. It will also help if you've read the rest of this series, but it is not entirely necessary. We very much appreciate the Kudos readers have left and would love to hear your (polite) comments!

Legolas' POV:

 

The windows of the bedchamber are wide open to let in the light breeze that is moving the new leaves on the trees that surround the valley. It is a perfect morning to be outside working on the rapidly growing gardens that I can just catch a glimpse of from my place at the window embrasure. Although I cannot see it from here the vegetable garden in particular has put on a great spurt of growth in the last few weeks. We are already harvesting salad crops and soon other vegetables will be available to use in the kitchen. It gives me a great sense of achievement to think that I have been a part of making the garden a success. The fruit trees and raspberry canes are growing well, and the strawberry plants protected from the rain and soil by a thick layer of straw are already in flower.

From my bedchamber window I can see the newly marked out area that will soon begin to transform into our formal garden with paths and fountains, arbours and covered walkways which will eventually be covered in rose and honeysuckle. Everywhere I look things are growing and there is work to be done, which makes the fact that I am standing here in a formal tunic and velvet leggings even more frustrating.

What a waste of a good gardening day … why am I needed for this particular exercise? Surely Mistress Glasiel and Master Forodren could deal with the process of finding a new maid without my presence.

After all I was not required when our household staff were chosen, although that is perhaps not entirely a fair comparison to make since I was still suffering from the after effects of the sea longing at that time and had little idea over what decisions were having to be made on my behalf. In fact I was very fortunate that Ressor and Gimli were not only willing but also able to make those choices for me and so successfully too.

Maybe I should not think too much on that time, else I might feel guilty over all the protest I have made over having to attend these discussions. I know that Gimli was less than impressed by my fussing or as he called it my ‘sulks’. I can hear his voice now saying in that particular tone he uses when his temper has finally been raised that my father would be ashamed of me. 

He could equally have reminded me that ‘both my fathers would be ashamed’ for I have in reality two fathers. Ada and Gimli, son of Gloin who has taken on the responsibility of my care until Adar comes to the Undying Lands and for Gimli to invoke my real parent is testimony to his anger over my dereliction of duty as a prince of the blood.  
So here I stand on the first warm dry day for over a week and instead of spending the time in the gardens I will be interviewing elleth for the post of housemaid. Why? Well because Aerlinn who was our second housemaid has confessed to wanting to be a gardener not a housekeeper and Gimli and I have accepted that her future happiness is more important to her and us than retaining her services in the house. 

I sigh and turn my back on the windows; it is time to make my way down to the study it will not do to further annoy Gimli by arriving late. As I walk through the house I continue to catch glimpses of our new gardens from the windows, we have made excellent progress in the weeks since winter fled, and spring began to show her true colours.   
There is the herb garden with sage, lavender and rosemary already in flower and further off are the newly planted wild flower meadows, which even this early in the season are full of colour. We hoped that our planting would encourage wild life into our midst, amongst them butterflies, moths and bees …

Now that is another bone of contention on this glorious day. From the very beginning of our work we have done our best to make the gardens a place where insects and birds will find a welcome and also help us in the pollination of fruits and vegetables as well as flowering plant species. We have had some success, but as for bringing bees into the garden, well the hives we constructed remain mainly untenanted and we are running low on honey again and despite what Gimli says I do not eat most of it! I admit to enjoying honey but I am not a glutton!

We have been attempting to encourage wild bees to make the move to our gardens with little or no success now for several weeks. Aerlinn assured me that she had studied the proper procedure for tempting bees to set up home in our hives, but I am beginning to doubt her expertise in this matter. So far we have seen little or no interest shown in our hives and we have wasted a considerable amount of honey on ‘baiting’ the traps which to my mind is a real tragedy but as I said before that does not make me a glutton merely someone who likes honey and would welcome a better supply of it.

I sigh as I enter the study and resolutely turn my attention away from the gardens and onto the letters and testimonials that have been put ready for me to read. Ist is going to be a long morning … there seem to be a huge number of applicants … 

There are some close by who might wish to point out to me that it would have been better had I read the letters as they arrived and weeded out those that were obviously unsuited for the post but since I failed to do that I suppose I must take the consequences and see them all now.

Eventually my attention is drawn away from the perusal of the letters by the incessant buzzing of a bee, which seems to have made its way into the study window and is now incapable of finding its way out again … 

I give the bee a malevolent glare and growl at it “how typical! We have tried every way we know to encourage you and your kind to take up residence here in our gardens and now you buzz about in my window destroying my peace and rubbing that failure in our faces. Be off blasted bee.”

The bee is unimpressed by my complaints and continues to buzz around in the window, as if to point out to me how pathetic my efforts have been thus far.  
I am telling it in no uncertain terms what it can do with its sacs of nectar when I realise that I am no longer alone. How do I know that? Well I have just received a fairly smart smack on the thigh.

“Ouch! What was that for?” I complain swinging round to glare at my dwarf

“That sort of language has no place in the mouth of a well brought up young prince.” He informs me.

I try to explain my frustration but he only chuckles, “Well now laddie, I know you elves have a way with all good beasts but I doubt that bee is going to be persuaded by your rather choice turn of phrase to take up residence in our hives. Maybe you should try singing to it instead or offering it one of your special smiles.”

While I would derive great pleasure from responding in kind, I decide that discretion is the better part of valour at this present time. Bad enough I have to spend the morning interviewing prospective maids. To do so while being unable to sit in comfort is something I would sooner avoid.

Instead I give a rather wan smile and tell my friend that I am just a little frustrated by the lack of progress we are making on inveigling bees to take up residence in our hives. “There has to be quicker and more effective methods than the ones Aerlinn insists we try.” I grumble as Gimli shoos the bee out through the glass and off into the gardens to steal our nectar and take it away to nests out in the woods somewhere. 

“That may be so Lamb, but ye will not be trying out any of those methods while I have anything to say in the matter. If ye had ever seen the state someone can get in having been stung by a swarm of angry bees ye would not even speak of such a thing.”

I would like to respond by pointing out that elves are not like mortal kind and that we are unlikely to be stung in such a fashion. However, I can see that now is not the time for an argument, so I shrug and turn the conversation into safer waters asking what time I am expected to be available for the interviews.

“The hall is full to busting from what I saw as I came past; a whole gaggle of females in their finery waiting your attentions,” Gimli, tells me in what I consider to be a very smug tone, “so as soon as ye are ready we can begin.”

Once again I think better of answering that I have no desire to be ready, thank you very much, and instead I give a resigned sigh and mumble “then let us get on with it.” As I sit down at the desk that damnable bee returns to buzz up and down the window in what I think can only be a deliberate attempt at provocation towards me.   
I hate bees!

I also hate interviewing house maids!

I have spent a whole morning meeting, greeting and listening to a gaggle of females telling me why they wish to take up employment at the Great House, My head aches and if I have to listen to one more elleth expounding on her expertise in housewifery I shall scream.

Gimli has been no help whatsoever. In fact I think he finds it amusing to see me floundering. Really as my guardian you would think he would be more supportive but he says it is good practice for me to learn how to interview prospective staff, as we will need more as the house grows.

But how I am to make a choice I do not know. All of them appear to have excellent credentials and good references. All of them tell me they have good reasons for wanting to work here. When I begged for guidance Gimli, who had sat mumchance through every interview, said that on reflection that it might be wiser not to employ the three or four elleth who had spent the whole of their interview batting their eyelashes at me, and smiling in the sort of way that makes me turn bright red just thinking about it. Well even I wasn’t going to be so foolish as to do that, especially not after my misunderstanding over Aerlinn’s interest. But how else am I supposed to make the correct choice?  
Of course eventually Gimli takes pity on me and points out the notes Mistress Glasiel made for me. Notes which I admit I only glanced at briefly this morning and then dismissed as ‘more stuff to read’, and I see that my housekeeper had already whittled the list down to what she considered to be three good candidates. 

“She did try and give ye a hint, Lamb, when she brought in the first of the applicants,” Gimli tells me. “Aye and she asked at least three times in my hearing in the last few weeks or so whether ye had read the letters and decided which of the applicants ye wished to see and ye answered that it might as well be all of them. You should have seen her expression, Lamb! But when she asked me to intercede and tell ye what the outcome would be I bethought me that it might be a better lesson for you to leave things as they were. I thought then ye hadn’t grasped just how many females would be thronging your halls this morning. Probably because ye hadn’t bothered to look at the number of replies there had been to your asking around for a maid.”

I open my mouth to object at this and then close it again; for Gimli is as ever correct. I have only one person to blame for spending a long morning giving lengthy interviews: me. I did not read the letters nor did I take any real interest in how the process would work.

I give my friend a sheepish grin and he pats my hand, “Ye will not make the same mistake a second time I’m guessing lad, and there has been no real harm done. Ye managed the thing quite well all things considered.”

I am inordinately pleased to receive this praise undeserving though it may be. “Do you really think so Gimli?”

“Aye I do and if ye will be guided by me and Mistress Glasiel I think the last lassie, the bonny one with the warm smile and a grown up family of her own would be a good choice. She will likely not be sighing and mooning over ye instead of getting on with her work, although she may well want to mother you instead!”

“That is better than the first,” I answer shuddering at the thought of a houseful of giggling young elleth popping up in all sorts of unlikely places in pursuit of me. I ring for Mistress Glasiel to bring up Mistress Elanor so I can ask her if she is still interested in taking up a position in my household and I can only hope that is the case as I certainly do not wish to go through another morning such as this one any time soon. 

I have other plans in mind for the next few days …

 

Gimli's POV:

 

I take the long way round back to the house after having been in conference with Master Edelharn over plans for this morning’s building project. The foundation for the main part of the house has been dug some weeks ago and is now finally dry enough to begin to lay the first of the stones. Master Edelharn seems to have the crews well organized, so I am confident that things will go smoothly without me for the morning. It is a fine morning for laying stone, and I still enjoy a day of honest hard work, especially on a project that I find so important, but today I will be spending my morning listening to my elf interview prospective replacements for Aerlinn. Not that it was an easy task, convincing him that it had to be done. A person would think I was asking him to take over Aerlinn’s post himself rather than only talking to a handful of pretty ellith who might like to work for us. I’m not sure of the last time I’ve heard so much grumbling and complaining as I have over the last few days. We have had words on the subject on several occasions over the last couple of day, until I had to resort to reminding him that as the son of the King he cannot always be tearing through trees or digging in dirt. Mentioning his father managed to silence the complaints, but there was still plenty of eye rolling and heartfelt sighing this morning over breakfast, something that I am easily able to ignore. 

I did have a brief moment of feeling sorry for him when I saw the stack of responses, knowing that our small west wing would be bursting at the seams with hopeful applicants. Legolas could have saved himself a lot of time and trouble had he paid attention to Mistress Glasiel’s hints that he should read over the list, instead of interviewing every single one of them. She had already made notes on the three she thought best suited for the job, but I decided it best not to intervene and force him to look through them. He has a tendency to procrastinate over things he finds uninteresting, such as paperwork, so I felt that spending a morning wading through interviews would be a good way to put an end to that bad habit. It would also to serve to show him that it is wise to listen to a multitude of counsellors, and Mistress Glasiel and the rest of our staff know what they are about, especially in their own field of expertise. Next time she has a suggestion, I’d wager he will pay attention to it! Of course such lessons come with a price, for I will have to sit through a whole morning of listening to various ellith expound on their expertise in housekeeping. Not my favorite topic of course, though there are worse ways to spend a morning than dressing up and talking to a horde of attractive ladies. 

Still it is a shame that the interview day turned out to be the first warm fine day we’ve had in weeks, for I’m sure the gardens are needing some attention and I know our ‘gardeners’ will be itching to get out to work in them. Aerlinn has proved to be an expert in vegetable and herb lore and a hard worker as well. I suppose she feels she has to make a point with her aunt if she is to continue doing the job she desires. Between her, Legolas and Gaearon I can see on my walk toward the house that the crops are flourishing. We’ve already been able to make use of some of them even this early in the season, which is testimony to all their planning and hard work. The beehives are not doing as well as the gardens, but it is my understanding that starting a colony takes time, so I expect that by fall we shall be harvesting our own honey as well. I have heard Legolas and Gaearon arguing with Aerlinn that there are faster, more effective ways of moving bees into the hives, but she is the one I’ve seen studying at night, so I am inclined to take her at her word that it is being done the right way. 

It is a great satisfaction to me to see all of our hard work beginning to pay off, and our plans starting to come together. I smile to myself as I hear the singing of the elves who are working on the foundation this morning, but when I look toward the garden I am surprised to find it empty of any sign of life. Of course Legolas should be preparing for the interviews and Aerlinn will no doubt be helping Mistress Glasiel and Canthui welcome the ellith who have come to apply for the position. Master Forodren and Hwiniol will no doubt be in the stables or caring for the other livestock, but I would have expected to see young Gaearon weeding the gardens by this late in the morning. Since the building work has commenced, I have not been doing much work in the forge, and while Gaearon has proved to be an apt student, I do not yet feel he is ready to work unsupervised with the molten metals. This means he has spent most of these first weeks of spring with Legolas and Aerlinn. Gaearon has a deal of knowledge about many trades and often fills in wherever an extra hand is needed, which makes it doubly surprising that he is not where I expected since there is no one else available just at the moment. 

I am a little concerned that something has befallen him and am about to go inside to ask of his whereabouts, when I find my answer. Walking into the main hall I can see the place is teeming with ellith all waiting for the interviewing process to begin. As expected Mistress Glasiel is bringing in more chairs and welcoming each candidate while Aerlinn and Canthui offer tea and sweet biscuits for all to enjoy while they wait their turn. When Glasiel catches my eye, she frowns slightly and inclines her head over to one corner of the room, her signal that she would like me to notice something without her having to say a word. Right away I see what she is concerned about. Gaearon is standing in a circle of three particularly attractive young lasses, all of whom seem to be hanging on his every word as he offers them a decidedly engaging smile. He seems to be telling them some sort of amusing story, for they all giggle at something he says as if it is the funniest speech ever heard. I can hear him handing out compliments as if they were the biscuits that Aerlinn is distributing, and the girls swallow them up as if they were just as sweet. I may not be as young as I once was, but I still recognize old fashioned flirting when I see it and young Gaearon seems as skilled at that as he is in everything else. No wonder he left the gardens standing empty this morning! 

I can hardly blame him for taking advantage of the opportunity for it is not every day that dozens of pretty lasses show up at your very doorstep, but for proprieties sake, I know I will have to put a stop to it. I would not like it to get around that members of our staff were found to be acting inappropriately. Besides if I don’t step in soon, I fear Mistress Glasiel may box that lad’s ears for him. When I clear my throat, the four of them look up at me. Gaearon smiles sheepishly at having been caught while the three ellith only stare. No doubt none of them have seen a dwarf before since by their young ages I imagine most of them were probably born here on Aman. Pretending not to notice their surprise, I nod to each one and then send Gaearon on his way.

“I believe Mistress Glasiel, Canthui, and Aerlinn are perfectly capable of taking care of our guests without your assistance, young elf.” I tell him, “if ye do not wish to work in the gardens, then go find your Adar, and I am certain he kind find ye something to do.”

“As you say, Lord Gimli,” He says, bowing his head slightly, but before he turns to go he actually winks at the small crowd of admirers, leaving them sighing, and me shaking my head. I can only hope that Mistress Glasiel didn’t see it or sparks may fly later.

With this problem abated for now, I make my way into the study where I find another young elf of a very different mind. This one would almost rather sacrifice an arm than have to deal with this waiting crowd of females and I can tell by his current shocking language that his mood has not improved much since the morning. The stream of profanity seems to be aimed at a bee of all things, so I am trying not to smile, even as I apply a sharp slap to the back of his thigh to stanch the flow of foul words. 

He makes excuse by telling me of his frustration with the lack of cooperation from the feral bees that refuse to relocate to our hives, in spite of Aerlinn’s valiant efforts to coerce them to do so. I try to tease him into a better humor, but he is clearly too worked up about the upcoming interviews to be amused by my jests. Still he manages to hold his tongue, only commenting that there must be a faster way to move the hives than Aerlinn’s methods, but I make it clear that those alternative methods are not to be tried here. While some lessons can be best learned the hard way, such as how to go about hiring staff, others are better just forbidden in no uncertain terms. Learning by experience with a swarm of bees could be dangerous or even deadly, and I can only hope my stern warning will be enough to squash any crazy ideas about a faster path to honey. For now it is time to begin the interviews.

It takes the entire morning to see every hopeful applicant, and I remain strong on my vow to myself that I will not help him with the process, in spite of the fact that he is practically begging me for guidance by the end. I notice that the same three lasses who were batting their eyes at Gaearon in the hall were doing the same to Legolas from across the desk. His response to this was vastly different, though. Instead of enjoying it and responding in kind, he only flushed dark red and sent them on their way as soon as he could politely do so. It is the reaction I would have expected of him, but it has me wondering about some of the same things I was thinking of when we had the misunderstanding about Aerlinn’s interest in him. I happen to know that Gaearon is less than two hundred years older than Legolas, which is no more than three or four years in mortal terms. Is the difference in opinion on the fair sex a personality difference, or does it have more to do with the maturing process of elves? I admit to being completely ignorant about such things, but if some kind of big change is going to take place with my elfling in the next few years, I am going to have to educate myself to know what to expect and to find out what is acceptable and what isn’t. 

I am interrupted from my musing by a panicked voice, once more asking for my help in making a final decision on which we should choose to replace Aerlinn. I take pity on him and show him Mistress Glasiel’s notes. I’m sure Gaearon will be disappointed in our choice of an older elleth who has grown children and very likely grandchildren, but Legolas agrees that Mistress Elanor seems perfect for the job and is more than a little relieved to have this chore over.

Legolas goes to inform Mistress Glasiel so she can take over the situation and begin training in our new housemaid, while I go off to inform Aerlinn that she is free from housework for keeps. I relish the thought of giving her the news, for I know she will be thrilled to be able to work full time in the gardens. 

I am not disappointed, for she gives a little hop of joy and then impulsively throws her arms around me, thanking me again for speaking on her behalf to her aunt and making her dream come true. If Glasiel were around to see it, she might find such a show of affection unseemly, but I find Aerlinn’s happy excitement sweet and refreshing. I have no blood kin here in the Undying Lands, but Aerlinn has a way of making me feel like a benevolent and beloved favourite uncle. 

So it is a happy lassie that turns in her apron for the last time that afternoon and goes out with Legolas and Gaearon to spend the rest of the day tending the plants. However just before dark she returns to the house with a face that reminds me of a thundercloud. She is clearly angry enough to spit and if I am not mistaken is mumbling under her breath some of the choice words that my own elf was using this morning in his chat with the bee. I have never seen her in such a state, so I immediately am concerned.

“Whatever is amiss Child?” I ask her.

“I’ll tell you what is amiss, Lord Gimli,” she growls. “Males! They are all annoying, frustrating, hard headed fools!” Seeing my surprised expression, she takes a deep breath and lowers her voice while leaning down to kiss my cheek. “Present company excepted of course.”   
I cannot help smiling as she stomps away, but then my smile fades quickly as I realize who the ‘fools’ she is talking about must be. I knew the peace around here was too good to last!


	2. Chapter 2

“Know-it-all female …” My second boot joins my first as I fire it across the room and it bounces off the wall. “That isn’t how it should be done Prince Legolas” I mimic Aerlinn’s voice, “It says in my books the correct method is …”

Be damned to her books and her overweening belief in her abilities!

I spent a long morning doing her a favour by appointing a new housemaid and how does she repay me? She spends the whole afternoon scolding me and Gaearon for what was harmless jesting. And then has the gall to say that according to her reading my ideas for encouraging more bees to make their home in the hives are doomed to failure. Well we will see about that!

And here I had been looking forward to an afternoon outside after the ordeal of the interviews. I could hardly wait for noon meal to be done with so that I could change out of my formal clothing and do something of real use.

Gaearon was anxious to start work in the gardens as well but I think that was because his father was angry with him over something that had happened this morning. I only caught the end of the lecture but it seems that Forodren had heard from Mistress Glasiel that Gaearon had been flirting with some of the candidates for the maid’s position when he should have been out feeding the cattle. Personally, I would sooner have been with the cattle than those simpering, giggling females not that I would admit such a thing to Gaearon. I have my pride after all. 

I recall when I used to spend time with the Elrondionnath. They were forever discussing females and laughing over evenings in the garden or dancing in the moonlight and other things as well that used to make me embarrassed to hear. The twins told me I would change my mind over elleth eventually. Well that may be the case, but it certainly is not so now. But that knowledge is not something I intend to share with Gaearon or any other young Ellon I come into contact with such as Tàras. So I laughed at the appropriate places as he described his conquests and then joined Gaearon in a discussion on the numerous charms of the would-be housemaids.

We were engaged in planting out the lavender hedge that will form the edges of the main path in the formal garden at the time Gaearon was describing his particular favourite and asking which one I thought was had the best ‘attributes’ when we realised that our private conversation was being listened into by Aerlinn.

I felt my face flame and would have apologised except that she was glaring at the pair of us as if we had been doing something seriously amiss, which we had not- not really. All right it was not particularly ‘nice’ but we were doing no real harm and no one was being hurt by our words, which is what she accused us of.

Gaearon pointed this out to her and then added in what I thought was an excellent come back that those who listened into others conversations were scarcely behaving well either.

I told him that was very true and we both laughed which was probably a mistake because Aerlinn’s face darkened and she told us we were both being ‘vile’ and ‘horrible’ and a lot of other things beside and then she burst into tears and ran off.

Of course we should have followed her and said sorry straight away, but we didn’t because well I suppose we did not wish to lose face so instead Gaearon and I finished planting the hedge before we made our way back to the herb garden to find her.

Aerlinn was there and it was plain that she was still angry for when Gaearon asked what needed to be done next she sniffed and pointed to the a fresh pile of horse manure that needed to be dug into the ground where the roses were to be planted, telling him he could busy himself with that.

Since we knew that there had been no plans to move this for at least another month neither of us was keen to start on that task. Instead I suggested that we go and look at the beehives to see if any of them had been colonised yet.

“They have not,” Aerlinn told us. “It is too soon. We have to be patient and give them more time.”

“Or we could stop listening to your excuses and we could start look at other ways of encouraging them,” Gaearon responded and since this so perfectly fitted in with my own views on the matter I nodded emphatically in agreement.

“I agree,” I told him, “and what is more I do not believe this honey and flour thing that you insisted on trying is ever going to work. There are plenty of other ways to bring bees to the hives, we could find a nest and transfer the whole thing to the hive, which would certainly be quicker.”

“It would also be very dangerous, and I happen to know that both Lord Gimli and Master Forodren have already said that you are not to try anything so foolish.” Aerlinn snapped, “Whatever would they say if they got to hear you suggesting such action?”

“What they do not know will not hurt them.” I told her, “and we are only talking not ‘doing’ anything.” 

“And how long will that situation last?” she muttered, “Well on your own heads be it I am having nothing to do with such stupid ideas.”

“We are not asking you to,” Gaearon pointed out “Although I am prepared to wager that our approach, whatever it might be,” he added swiftly before she could comment, “proves to be more successful than your own.”

“This is not a competition,” Aerlinn tossed her head adding in such a disparaging tone, “My aunt is right you males show no more sense than a fly, a wager indeed!” she put her hands on her hips and demanded “Well do not keep me in suspense Gaearon, what wonderful ideas have you come up with?”

We told her and her utter contempt for our ideas and her attitude towards them really annoyed me and I retaliated in a fashion that I know i should not have done for I pokered up in turn and reminded her that she was talking to her liege lord not some brainless elfling. What was more she would do well to remember I added that I could very easily reverse my decision on allowing her to work in the gardens and she would have to go back into the house. 

It was a foolish threat to make and I regretted it as soon as the words were out of my mouth and was about to apologise and retract what I had said when Aerlinn turned on her heel and stormed off.

Well there was no way I was going to follow her for a second time so Gaearon and I went off to the shed where we plant up the seedlings and began to discuss other ways of inveigling bees to come and colonise our hives.

We did not see Aerlinn again but as soon as I entered the house Gimli grabbed hold of me and demanded to know what I had done to annoy her.

For a horrible moment I thought Aerlinn must have told him about my words but although he was insistent on knowing what I had done he was by no means as angry as he would have been had he known about my threat to return her to the house! 

I hope I managed to hide my initial dismay well enough so that he will not continue to question me about what really happened out in the gardens. An irate dwarf is not something I wish to come up against for if Gimli ever gets to hear of what I said I am likely to end up in a very uncomfortable position. For he is not only fond of Aerlinn but he also has very high expectations as far as my conduct is concerned and any failure on my part to live up to those standards normally leads to me being left very sore and sorry.  
Once I realised that he was curious rather than furious, I fobbed him off by telling him that Gaearon and I had merely been teasing her over her bossy nature. I studiously avoided mentioning the bees or the fact that Gaearon and I have formed a plan to go out tomorrow to search for bee nests. Discretion is definitely the better part of valour as far as my dwarf is concerned. I escaped with nothing worse than some embarrassing advice on how to deal with ‘females’ specifically young females that left me squirming and a lecture on listening to those who know better than I do on matters such as gardening. “Aye and on bee keeping too, Lamb” Gimli finished his homily, “Young Aerlinn knows her stuff ye should listen to her more and do a sight more studying of your own that would keep ye out of mischief of an evening, I’ll ask Aerlinn if she can recommend some books that would help ye improve your knowledge of planting.”

It was all I could do to bite my tongue at this suggestion. I have no intention of leaving myself open to studying horticulture under the aegis of that bossy female.  
My temper having been somewhat assuaged by flinging my boots at the wall I walk over to the windows to calm down before I have to go and bathe and dress for dinner. I can only hope that the conversation between Gimli and myself does not follow on from this afternoon.

As I stand looking out into the sunset a bee buzzes past me and flies out into the evening air. I am sure it is laughing as it goes.

 

Xxxxxxx  
Aerlinn exits the kitchen, slamming the door a with a little more force than is strictly necessary, and I am unsure if I should follow her or not. I go into my office and decide to wait for her to come back, for since Mistress Elanor will not begin her duties until tomorrow, I imagine that Aerlinn will help with the evening meal as per usual. As soon as I hear voices in the kitchen, I start to go to her to get to the bottom of what has her so upset. If Gaearon or Legolas or both of them are giving her any trouble, I would like to know about it, for Aerlinn has worked too hard to get where she is without those two making things unpleasant for her. Of course it might have been just a difference of opinion that turned into a bit of an argument, and it is always possible that Aerlinn will not be willing to tell me anyway, not wanting to cause a problem between herself and her companions. Still I would like to see what I can find out. I am about to go into the kitchen when I hear that Aerlinn is not alone. Mistress Glasiel is with her and they seem to be discussing the very topic I intended to ask her about.

Aerlinn seems much calmer now, and her aunt is obviously offering her advice.

“The whole situation was just so frustrating,” Aerlinn, complains, “I know I shouldn’t have lost my temper, but I couldn’t seem to help it. I am so angry with myself for crying in front of them, as if they didn’t have reason enough to not want to listen to a girl.”

Glasiel laughs not unkindly, “Well least said, soonest mended I always say. You know as well as I do that young ellyn can be impulsive and say things they don’t really mean. You will be in the house training Mistress Elanor tomorrow and by the next day they will likely have forgotten what was said.”

“I only wish I could forget it,” is Aerlinn’s gloomy response. 

“You mustn’t worry about it dear, everything will work out one way or another,” Glasiel assures her, and then her voice takes on a teasing note. “For one thing, Lord Gimli is inordinately fond of you, for some unfathomable reason, and I am certain he will make things right in your behalf if it comes to that, though I think this will pass without anyone intervening.”

Aerlinn chuckles a little and then sighs. “I hope you are right,” she says, “I have adored every minute of working in the gardens until this afternoon and I would hate for anything to mess it up.”

I step back from the door, deciding not to enter the kitchen after all. I do not know exactly what happened outside today, but I see now that asking Aerlinn about it would put her in the difficult position of having to decide whether or not to ‘tattle’ on her companions. Still Mistress Glasiel was correct about one thing; I do intend to make things right for Aerlinn. She has worked hard and deserves to be where she is and I will not have her enjoyment of it spoiled by a pair of lads ganging up on her to tease her, even if it was meant in jest. It is only amusing if Aerlinn found it so, and clearly she did not. I am more than a little put out that they made her cry, whatever the reason was. 

Well it won’t be happening again, if I am to have any say in the matter, and I am not particularly known for keeping my opinion to myself. Certainly not when it comes to the matter of how my elfling should conduct himself, for my expectations of him are very high just as I am sure his own father’s would be were he here. I realize his experience with young ellith is nearly non-existent, and while I can sympathize, that does not mean I will lower my standards. I feel I must speak to Master Forodren as well, though I am a bit hesitant to do so, for I know Gaearon has already managed to get in some hot water with his father over the maid situation once today. But while I am not hoping to get him into more trouble, I also realize Forodren has certain expectations for his son as well and if the situation were reversed I would want to be told what was going on. Of course first I need to find out precisely what happened.

As soon as Legolas enters the house, I corner him and insist on finding out what went on in the gardens today. He nearly leaps out of his skin at first, perhaps concerned that he is in a worse situation than he actually is, but settles down as soon as he realized I only want to know what happened. He admits that he and Gaearon were teasing Aerlinn about being bossy over the placement of some of the plants after she got angry over Gaearon’s comments about the pretty housemaid applicants. I explain in no uncertain terms the importance of treating young ladies with proper respect, reminding him that as a properly brought up young prince and the Lord of this land, that a certain level of dignity must be maintained at all times, and that while jesting and teasing may have its place, there are times when it is inappropriate.

”If ye make the lassie cry, then that’s a good sign that ye’ve gone too far and she is not finding your teasing amusing. Jests are only funny if no one’s feelings are hurt and there are certain topics that are not appropriate to tease about in front of a young lady.”

“I know that, Gimli. I…I wanted to apologize, but…”

“Indeed ye will apologize and ye should also recall that ye mustn’t dismiss her ideas over the planting. Young Aerlinn knows what she’s about and ye’d do well to listen to what she has to say.”

He merely nods and I send him off to dress for dinner while I make my way to the stables to have a word with Master Forodren. He says very little, only thanking me for keeping him informed, but his face darkens when I tell him what I have learned from my elfling. I do not stay to see what happens after that, but I suspect Aerlinn will have not further trouble from Gaearon tomorrow whatever the outcome.

Dinner ends up being an uncomfortable event. Since Mistress Elanor will not begin her duties until tomorrow, Aerlinn has evidently decided to go ahead and help with the evening meal as usual. She has changed out of her leggings and tunic and is now wearing a work dress and apron. The expression on her face changes from moment to moment. One minute she looks worried and close to tears, while the next one she looks furious and is glaring openly. At least when looking at Legolas, when it comes to me, she is all sugar and spice, even more so than usual, clearly a ploy to show her displeasure with him. It is so obvious that she is giving my elf the cold shoulder, that eventually Glasiel can’t ignore the fact anymore and shoots her niece a warning look. After that Aerlinn puts on a more neutral expression, but she still remains silent throughout the rest of the meal. 

Legolas has little to say either and strictly stays away from discussing anything to do with plans for the gardens or the work that was done there today. He also looks increasingly guilty, something that is underlined by the fact that I have to remind him three times to eat the food rather than destroy it on his plate. Perhaps between my lecture and seeing that Aerlinn is still upset so many hours later he can see how his and Gaearon’s teasing was more out of line than he originally thought. It is good that he now realizes that his treatment of Aerlinn was wrong, but he also has a tendency to hang on to guilt and to worry things to death, rather than learning from errors and moving on. 

When we retire to the sitting room, as is our usual habit, I sit in my usual place and start to pack my pipe while Legolas goes to stand staring out the window. Every suggestion I have on how to fill the evening until bedtime, he merely shrugs and continues to look outside the window, until it become crystal clear to me that he is worrying far too much for his own good. I want him to recognize his mistakes, but not to agonize over them, so after a while, I call him to me.

“Come, Lad, sit with me for a spell,” He does come, but instead of sitting at my feet on the floor, he kneels in front of me and places his head in my lap. I run a work roughened hand down the silky length of his hair and attempt to sooth his troubled mind.

“Ye are bound to make mistakes, Lamb, but it is hardly the end of the world. It isn’t as if ye said anything truly cruel, so ye only need to set things right with Aerlinn and avoid making the same mistake again if ye can. Things will seem better in the morning I think.”

There is no answer other than a quick nod and a brief embrace. He then tells me that it has been a long day and he would like to retire early, leaving me with only my pipe and my thoughts for company.   
XXXXX

 

I curtail my evening with Gimli early; I am feeling guilty because the painful truth is that I have been less than honest with him over my feelings over what has happened with Aerlinn. I am not proud of upsetting her as I did, but her reaction when I went to explain myself was hardly reasonable was it? Which of course tempted me into making that foolish threat. 

When he spoke to me when I first came in from the gardens I feared Gimli might have heard about that but he spoke only of my ‘teasing’ of Aerlinn and made it plain that I was to make my apologies to her for it.

“Making a lassie cry has no place in a well brought up young Ellon’s life,” he told me and he is of course right. I was happy- well not happy but accepting- in the fact that I would need to beg her pardon, and resigned to the fact that she would no doubt ‘rub my nose in it’ because of it. But while I was initially relieved Gimli had not heard of my later words to her my feelings of guilt grew until I thought I would have to tell him about it whatever the consequences to me would be. 

But when we sat down to dinner tonight my good intentions in the matter were soon sent glimmering, Why should Aerlinn think she has the right to give me the cold shoulder? It was so blatant as well! Had she been able to so without drawing unwanted attention to her I suspect she would have refused to serve me at all. As it was the food was fairly flung onto my plate and every time she looked in my direction it was like being stabbed by an Orc sword. Of course Gimli did not seem to notice this strange behaviour, perhaps he was blinded by the fact that she was fawning over him as if he were one of the Valar themselves. It was positively sickening to watch!

I shall be glad when Mistress Elanor takes up her duties tomorrow, at least then I will not be subjected to this kind of abuse at least while I am in the house. Of course ‘know it all Aerlinn’ will continue to give me the benefit of her ‘advice’ in the gardens. Her new responsibilities outside have caused the power to go to her head, at least that is how it seems to me.  
Thankfully Mistress Glasiel did eventually notice and gave her niece such a look as to put a stop to her scowling but it still put me off my dinner and I was glad to escape to our sitting room with Gimli, although even there I could not forbear from thinking about the day and the unpleasantness that had ended it.

So, I retired to bed early and spend the night brooding over the situation I find myself in. Even so, I am prepared to make my apologies for my ‘inopportune’ language in the garden, when I come across Aerlinn as she comes in from the dairy as I go down to break my fast.

I ask for a moment of her time and she immediately pokers up and says she is needed in the kitchen. When I insist on speaking to her, rather than accept my apology, she looks down her nose at me, and says in response to my saying I am sorry to have upset her.

“Really!”

It is said in the sort of tone that leaves a person in no doubt as to the lack of belief in the voracity of my words.

“I did not mean …” I start again but Aerlinn is not interested

“Oh yes you did,” she states, “you and Gaearon both. You thought it acceptable to talk about those elleth as if they were little more than beasts in the field! I heard you discussing their ‘finer points’ and smirking and laughing.”

I blush for while I would not have phrased our actions in quite that way, she is I am ashamed to admit correct, Still I attempt to justify our conduct “We were only funning.”  
“It was not at all ‘funny,’” she tells me “it is typical of males such as you to denigrate females.”

“It is not!”

“Oh? And how would you describe your reaction to my words on the colonisation of the beehives? What was it you said? Oh yes, what would an elleth know about such things?”  
“Well what makes you think you are such an expert?” My own temper is now rising. I do not enjoy being vilified in this fashion even if my conscience tells me I am more than a little deserving of it.

“The fact that I have made a study on just such a thing, perhaps,” Aerlinn snaps “I am not certain if it is the case on Arda but here Elleth are educated to the same standard as Ellon and we do not appreciate being treated as inferior just because of our gender.”

“Book learning is not the same thing as practical experience as you will soon find out.” I hiss ignoring the other part of her lecture since I can think of nothing to say that will not make the matter worse “I was lord of my own demesne in Ithilien and we had bee hives there I am not a complete dunce when it comes to such things I …” 

My words are cut short as the door opens and Mistress Glasiel looks in calling for Aerlinn to bring in the butter for the table and telling me that breakfast awaits my pleasure. She looks at us both questioningly and asks if anything is amiss and we both hurry to assure it is not. Neither of us it seems is anxious to bring her into our quarrel.

I scuttle to the table and take my place and notice how quiet everyone is. The usual morning chatter is subdued, and Gaearon is sitting mumchance. I wonder what has happened to cause this unusual silence but seeing Gimli and Forodren nodding at each other it becomes somewhat clearer.

Forodren has obviously taken his son to task just as Gimli did me, a thought that is confirmed when under his father’s gimlet gaze Gaearon asks to speak to Aerlinn once the meal is over. Well I hope he has better fortune than I did but I suspect that he will meet with the same disdain I met with earlier.

I offer a sympathetic look towards Gaearon and see from his expression that whatever apology he is being forced to offer is being done so at the behest of his father not because he thinks it needful himself. And he is correct. Why are Ellon always the ones forced to make apologies in this situation? Are Elleth always considered innocent of any wrongdoing?  
I catch up with Gaearon as he comes out from the dairy and I can see from his disgruntled expression that things had not gone well. We can hardly wait to take ourselves off to the privacy of the shed to discuss the unfairness of life …  
Of course we are denied this solace for Forodren calls for Gaearon to join him in the stables. Gaearon rolls his eyes at me and mumbles, “Now what am I supposed to have done?” as he reluctantly follows after his Adar.

I do not see him again until just before noon meal. I would have worked in the herb garden but Aerlinn was there fussing over the bee hives again so instead I decide to spend the morning in the clover meadow at the other end of the lake. It is a pretty place although my motives for choosing it have little to do with the way it looks. I know that the bees are particularly fond of clover and I hope to be able to find a wild bee nest there for I have decided to show mistress Aerlinn that there is more than one way to populate our hives.  
As I told her earlier we did indeed have hives in Ithilien and I had seen the elves who were in charge of them at work often enough to know at least the rudiments of their care. What is more Thain Took who was as fond of honey as I once explained to me how he had recolonized a damaged hive when nothing more than a child by bringing a nest of wild bees to it. If Pippin could manage such a thing I do not see why I cannot.

It was not hard to find a suitable nest. I followed the noise of the bees and found the nest in an apple tree quite close to the lake. It was not even very far off the ground so that cutting through the neck of the nest and allowing it to drop into a waiting basket will not be difficult.

I will need a closed basket to carry it in and perhaps some gloves would be a good idea. Pippin said he used smoke from his pipe to make the bees drowsy before he cut it down, but since I do not smoke and I do not think Gimli would approve of me taking his precious pipe and weed, I will have to manage without such luxuries. I am sure that with Gaearon’s help we will have no difficulties. My only problem will be in us both being able to slip away without being observed.

During the noon meal I ask for Gaearon’s assistance in the garden for the afternoon, and while I can tell that Forodren would sooner keep his son under his eye presently he has little choice but to acquiesce with my request since I am nominally at least his lord.

Of course Gimli has no such problems in asking what I need Gaearon for, but having foreseen this in advance. I am able to offer a convincing reason for my request mentioning the need to move some heavy rocks from a part of the garden that I wish to bring into cultivation next.

I beg to be excused from the table as soon as I can Gimli nods approval of my request and Gaearon and I hurry away.

“Thank you” Gaearon breathes as soon as the kitchen door closes behind us, “I was not looking forward to an afternoon spent with my father. He is vastly displeased with my conduct as you could see,” he grimaces, “things would not have been so bad had Aerlinn not made such a fuss and complained to Mistress Glasiel. Who would have thought she would have told on me?”

“Us” I correct him, “You are not the only one to have suffered from a disapproving parent. Gimli insisted I apologise this morning. Much good that did me! Aerlinn did not wish to listen. I take it you had the same treatment?”

“Aye, and Adar is bound to place the blame at my door, telling me I was not sincere enough.”

“Were you?” my grin is answered with one of his own.

“No more than you were it seems.” 

We both laugh and then Gaearon adds “I wish I could get just a little of my own back, even if it was just to prove to her that she is not as clever as she believes.”  
These words are music to my ears and encourage me to tell him of my plan for the bees.

“It would be a real coup,” Gaearon agrees, “she has told us repeatedly that the only way of achieving it is her way, I am happy to do anything I can to help.”  
Together we go into the shed to find what we may need. Still discussing the best way to collect the bee nest as we come out again we are confronted by the very person we wished to avoid and it is plain she has been listening into our conversation for she immediately pronounces that we must be insane.

“What you are planning is not only stupid but dangerous.” She continues poking a finger in our direction.

“I suppose you are going to go running to Gimli and Forodren to tell them on us?” I snap angered by her dismissal of our plans.

Aerlinn looks from me to Gaearon and then back to me again and then throws up her hands, “No, if you pair of boobies wish to put yourselves at risk I will not stop you. I will however go and look in the still room for some herbs and vinegars to coat your stings when… or perhaps I should say if you return.”

Gaearon makes a rather rude noise and together we push by her and continue on our way, and I call back over my shoulder. “I trust you will keep your word and remain silent Aerlinn, and when we successfully bring some bees to the hives I hope you will have the goodness to admit that we were right and you were wrong.”

“Oh you may rely on it,” she returns caustically, “If‼!”

 

xxxxx  
The morning meal is nearly as uncomfortable and strange as dinner was last night. We usually have pleasant chatter in the mornings, but this day no one is in the mood for small talk it seems to me. It is not too hard to guess the reasons why. Gaearon must have had his ear bent good last evening about the proper treatment of young ladies, for he sits silently staring down at his plate for most of the meal. When he finally does look up, Master Forodren gives him the hairy eyeball, until he finally speaks up and asks to talk to Aerlinn after the meal, causing Aerlinn to roll her eyes, but then nod coldly once her aunt discreetly tugs a lock of her hair. Legolas offers Gaearon a sympathetic look, which makes me believe that his own apology to Aerlinn did not go as well as planned. I happen to know that he had good intentions this morning, but from the way the two of them are avoiding making eye contact, I would say it didn’t go well. 

I had hoped whatever happened between them could be laid to rest quickly, but I can see already that that hasn’t been the case as of yet. I am still hoping for a good outcome, but somehow I have a feeling this is going to end in tears one way or another before it’s all over. Still in spite of what experience tells me, I am hoping for the best. Gaearon will no doubt be spending his day with his father, and Aerlinn will mostly be in the house while Legolas works in the garden, so that means there shouldn’t be much opportunity for personalities to conflict today and perhaps by tomorrow, everyone will be in a better humor. That is what I am thinking as I head out to work with the stone laying crews.  
It is a good productive morning and I go in for the noon meal with high hopes that the day will turn out well. The atmosphere is still a bit tense, but there is no eye-rolling or glaring that I can see, so I dare to hope that things are improving. I am a little concerned, when Legolas requests Gaearon to work with him in the afternoon, for I know Master Forodren would prefer to keep the lad in his sight. But his reasons for the request seem innocent enough, so as soon as they can, the two of them make off toward the garden, no doubt to move rocks and commune over the unfairness of life. At least Aerlinn will still be spending a good part of the day indoors helping to train in Mistress Elanor, who by now must think we are a strange bunch indeed.

Outside among the stone layers, the day continues to go smoothly. In fact things are running so smoothly, that by mid afternoon we have finished laying the main part of the foundation, and are about to fill in the gaps with smaller stones. I realize I have left my parchment and charcoal markers inside that are used to make patterns for the correct shapes before we cut any actual stones. I have just retrieved them and am about to go back outside when Aerlinn comes crashing into the kitchen, almost running into me. She is dressed for working inside, but has obviously managed to fit in a little time in the garden, for she smells of mint and lemon grass. She is also clearly upset again. I frown, wondering what has been said to her this time, for I do not doubt that whatever has her so concerned is the work of a pair of young elves who should know better by now.   
Seeing me, her eyes widen in surprise, and she tries to hurry past me, but I catch her by the arm before she can do so. 

“I can see ye are upset, Aerlinn. You just let me know what happened, and I will take care of it for you.” I promise her.

“Oh I can’t!” she says, pulling away, but then turns to face me instead of walking away.

“Of course ye can.” I assure her, “Ye can tell me anything Lass.”

“I can’t,” she repeats wringing her hands, “I promised I wouldn’t”

Now I am not one to encourage someone to break a promise, but in this case my senses tell me that this promise is one she regrets making and one I definitely need to know about. I have never once looked crossways at the girl, for I am foolishly fond of her, but this time I give her a stern look.

“Aerlinn, if there is something going on that I need to know about, it is your duty to let me know,” I tell her, firmly. “Sometimes promises have to be broken for the good of the folks involved.”

“You are right,” she says, dropping her head in defeat. “I suppose they will neither one speak to me ever again, nor I will likely be sent back to work as a housekeeper or maybe even sent away, but I must tell you. There is no other choice!”

“Your position here is not in jeopardy,” I promise her, “but you must tell me quickly.”

She looks guiltily up at me and begins her tale. “I should have said something sooner, I realize that now, but I was so angry at the time, that…” I must be looking anxious, for she cuts off that thought and gets to the point. “Lord Legolas and Gaearon are out hunting for a wild bees nest. I should never have promised not to tell, for they were going about it in a very dangerous way. As far as I could see they had only a basket, a knife and a pair of gloves for protection. They didn’t even bother to bring a smoker or a veiled hat with them.” 

She is beginning to stammer in her distress, apologizing again for letting her temper get in the way of her good sense, but I cannot afford to let her dissolve into a panic. I give her hand a little shake.

“Do ye know where this nest is?” I ask her.

“There is a big one in the apple tree near the lake,” she tells me. “I knew it was there, but didn’t tell either of them for fear one of them might attempt something like this. It won’t have been too hard to find. They would be able to spot it from the noise alone.”

“Well, we’ll just hope they haven’t found it yet. Can ye lead me to it?”

She simply nods and heads out the door. I follow her outside, calling for Master Forodren as we pass the stables. I explain what is going on as succinctly as I can as we follow Aerlinn through the herb garden and past the clover field and then into the woods. I can hear it long before we get to the lake. A great humming sound that echoes through the woods, the sound of thousands of bees, angry over having been disturbed in their work. I pull down my rolled up sleeves and fasten them tightly around my wrists, and pull my pipe from my pocket to light it for smoke. It isn’t much, but it’s all I have to use as I prepare to walk into the fray. Forodren follows my lead and tightens his collar and sleeve cuffs, then picks up some dry brush and twists it together to make a torch. Aerlinn starts to do the same, but she is wearing only is a light summer dress with short sleeves and a scooped neck. I cannot bear the thought of her getting stung, so I grasp her hand to stop her.

“Stay here, Lass,” I order her.

“But, Lord Gimli, I can help…” she begins, but I do not let her finish.

“I said stand well back, Aerlinn.”

I walk toward the sound of the bees, hoping that this young lass listens to good advice better than other young elves of my acquaintance.


	3. Chapter 3

Once more I find myself standing staring out of the windows of my bedchamber but this time I do not admire the view or even the progress being made in the gardens, this time I can hardly focus on anything thanks to the tears that still fill my eyes. I have given up trying to brush them away, it is useless to do so, just as it is to prevent myself sniffing somewhat inelegantly, fortunately there is no one here to hear or see me so I can allow myself the solace of a good cry without anyone commenting.  
I wind my arms around myself in an effort to provide a little comfort, it is not that I deserve it but I do need it. I can hear the subdued bustle elsewhere in the house but here all is quiet and I have time to reflect upon a day which has ended with me in disgrace with just about every member of my small household.  
I put up a hand to brush away still wet hair from my face and my fingers catch the swellings in my hair line where the bees stung me. The stings have been removed and the swellings treated with plantain salve which has taken away the worst of the discomfort and is easing the swellings as well.  
I wonder briefly if plantain salve might remove some of the sting in my hind quarters but I very much doubt it would have the same beneficial effect for when a dwarf is intent on making a point about something there is little relief to be had from any medication. Only time will wipe out the pain in my backside, how could the day have ended so disastrously?

Gaearon and I were so sure that our plan would work that I suppose we became over-confident. Things were going so well. The nest I had identified had been constructed around the bole of the apple tree. It was quite a complicated structure and even from a distance we could see the honeycombs surrounding the outside of it.  
I recalled what Aerlinn had told us that some nests had as many as 20,000 bees in them and from the size of the nest I could readily believe it. We waited for a little time and were rewarded when the worker bees flew off no doubt foraging for honey to feed their young, sealed in the honeycomb cells. From what we could tell the nest was now half empty this we took as a good sign, and together we moved forward the covered basket between us, and my belt dagger at the ready to prise the nest free it was then that the trouble began.  
It was far harder than I had anticipated freeing the nest mainly because we were anxious not to damage it too much and we had to keep dodging the guard bees that flew out at us but we had almost managed it when the sound of angry buzzing filled the air. We dodged back from the tree but the bees continued to swarm around us and we were forced to retreat, trying to keep the bees away from our heads as best as we could.  
Suddenly there was a shout then Gimli and Forodren were standing before us, Forodren waving a lighted brand and Gimli puffing furiously on his pipe in an attempt to calm the furious insects. The two of them kept pushing me and Gaearon back but even with their efforts the bees kept coming at us and we were all being stung unmercifully when Aerlinn shouted from somewhere behind us.   
“The lake, get into the lake it is our only chance.”  
Together we all stumbled to the water’s edge Gimli and Forodren threw the pipe and brand away and then we dived under the surface swimming for all we were worth away from the apple tree and the swarming bees.  
Each time we surfaced the bees seemed to be above us and I was beginning to wonder how much longer we could hold our breath when Forodren finally gasped, “they have given up the chase.”  
We all surfaced, gasping and I swam over to where Gimli was struggling to find a foothold and steadied him while he gulped in clean fresh air, then shook his head and beard free of water droplets before turning a fierce look in my direction and growling deep in his throat. A sure sign to the initiated, of which I am one, that he was angrier than the bees we had so recently escaped from.  
I splashed away from him, seeking to put space between us for I could see by the light in his eyes that he was on the brink of lighting into me right there as we began to pull ourselves out onto the bank. I did not doubt that I was deserving of being punished but the thought of anyone else witnessing my humiliation, Aerlinn in particular was too mortifying to contemplate. It was then that I bethought me of Aerlinn and turned to offer her my assistance and felt my jaw drop. She was standing in the shallows her hair plastered to her head and her clothing clinging to her figure in a very revealing fashion that gave the lie to Gaearon’s earlier opinions and mine as to her lack of a proper figure. I glanced over towards him and saw that he was standing dumbfounded as well; at least he was until his father clipped the back of his head and told him to stop gawping.   
Gimli ordered me to turn my back as he pulled off his jerkin and wrapped it around her shivering form before sending her off back to the house to warn the others of our coming.  
“As for ye,” he told me grabbing hold of my ear, “If ye know what is good for ye, ye will close your mouth and get yourself up this bank for you and I have a reckoning to come to. Master Forodren I will leave you to make your own arrangements but this errant elfling and I are going to come to terms right here and now. I am going to make his hindquarters sting a great deal more than those bees have just done.”  
Then he sat down pulling me across his wet lap, peeled down my leggings and began to belabour my deserving rump with the sort of intensity that stopped me even being embarrassed by my predicament. I had just sufficient presence of mind to call out to Forodren that none of this was Gaearon’s fault and that he had only done what I bid him to before I was too busy squirming, kicking and howling as Gimli set to making his view on my recent conduct very plain to me.  
Every part of my rear and my thighs were belaboured until they were bright red and blistered and I was reduced to sobbing and pleading for an end to my punishment. It did not end of course until Gimli felt that I had sufficiently learned my lesson and he had released not his anger for that was only momentary but released his fears for Gaearon and me for the dangerous situation I had put us in. Then he hauled me to my feet barely giving me time to tug up my leggings before hurrying me towards the house to get treatment for the numerous stings that were now swelling ominously.   
Glasiel and Elanor were the only ones in the kitchen when we arrived and they were already combing through Forodren and Gaearon’s hair finding the bee stings and removing them carefully. “Canthui and Hwiniol are up in your chambers Lord Gimli, and will check you both over and pull out the stingers, Eru be praised that none of you are allergic to bee stings by the look of it, and I thank you for doing your best to keep Aerlinn safe.”  
“You are more than welcome, and we are in her debt for it was her idea that sent us all into the lake, and forced the bees to give over on their attack. I trust she was not stung too badly?”  
“Hardly at all, she is changing her clothes, you go on up the pair of you, Lord Legolas is looking in a pretty bad case, and would do well to get out of those wet clothes, you are not badly stung I hope?” she added looking up into my tear stained face.   
“No more than I deserve” I answered and limped off in Gimli’s wake grateful to be away from the eyes of everyone in the kitchen.  
Hwiniol and Canthui were deft in their ministrations, and if they thought it odd that I at least was very reluctant to actually sit down they mercifully kept their thoughts to themselves. Once they had departed Gimli sent me to change into dry clothes and to comb my hair ordering me to remain in my chamber while he did the same and then went off to ask after the welfare of the others who were involved in the bee fiasco.  
I was happy to do as I was bid, firstly because I had no desire to irritate him any further than I have already done on this day but second because I am aware I need this time to contemplate my conduct and the consequences.  
So here I stand and await Gimli’s return, wondering how Gaearon is faring and whether my reputation is completely ruined after today.

I am desperate for some comfort and forgiveness from my dwarf which I have yet to receive, I understand why I am having to wait but the guilt is eating into me and hurts me more so than the bee stings or even the other kind of sting in my rump.  
Finally the door opens behind me and Gimli enters again and I turn almost reluctantly and see his swollen face and lips where he was stung by the bees that I stirred up earlier, yet he is smiling at me and his arms are open wide offering me the shelter and support I so desperately need.  
I fall onto my knees my head on his shoulder weeping once more but this time the tears are cathartic and the comfort and love I receive in return do much to restore my equilibrium.  
“I am sorry, so sorry,” I whisper into his shoulder as he holds me close and rubs circles on my back.  
“Aye, well tis over now Lamb, come let us get more comfortable.” He sits in the chair that I always keep in my chambers for his use and I curl up beside him. Relishing the feel of his hand through my hair as he keeps up a monologue of nonsensical reassurances which allow me to finally let go of my guilt and to relax, I feel my eyes drifting closed, and sigh and snuggle closer to my beloved guardian.  
All the cares of the day are dispelled by his strength and love, although it crosses my mind as I drift off in to slumber that I will ever look at honey in the same way again!  
Xxxxxxx

I stand looking in the polished metal mirror at my reflection, considering the battle scars I have taken on this day. It is not a pretty sight, for there are several ugly swellings on my face and lips from my encounter with the honeybees. Fortunately for me, my thick mane of hair and coarse beard have offered me the same protection the thick fur of a bear has when robbing a hive. The bees could not find too many places to sting, though the backs of my hands have taken a few hits. The palms have fared much better, for they are too calloused and tough to be penetrated by something as flimsy as the stinger of a honeybee, a fact that my errant charge could probably attest to with convincing authenticity right about now. So even though, as a mere mortal, it may take my wounds a little longer to heal, I know I have come off far better than my elven companions who have finer hair and softer skin that made their scalps and faces and any other exposed areas perfect targets for the stings of angry bees.   
I only got a brief glance at Forodren and Gaearon as we came in through the kitchen, but from what I could see, they were both pretty badly stung, especially Gaearon who had spent a longer time under attack and without even the protection of the smoking brand that his father had. Once we arrived on the scene, the bees were already in such a frenzy that our efforts to fend them off the lads was of little use. If it had not been for the nearby lake, and Aerlinn’s idea to dive into it, I fear things would have turned out far worse than they did. As it was, though Gaearon and Legolas were severely stung, it was not so bad as to prevent either of them from gaping openly at the poor girl when the water rendered her light summer dress nearly see through. In her distress, I am unsure if she even realized it herself, but I covered her as quickly as possible before sending her back to the house. Even so, I almost had to close Legolas’s mouth myself, for I think that perhaps he may have suddenly developed a new appreciation for the female form, that hadn’t been there earlier in the week, when we were interviewing prospective housemaids.   
In my thinking, if he had the time and ability to pause and focus his full attention on Aerlinn’s previously unknown ‘assets’, he was not so badly injured that he couldn’t answer immediately for the foolishness that put all of us in this dangerous situation. I may be old, but I am not so feeble-minded not to recall having forbidden any attempting of ‘alternate’ methods of conlonizing our hives. Master Forodren must have been of a similar mind in spite of the fact that Legolas tried to protect Gaearon by claiming he was not at fault, but had only been following orders. I could not see exactly what happened between them, further up the bank, but I could hear well enough that it wasn’t going well for my young apprentice. and he was a picture of abject misery by the time we made our way through the kitchen to find Mistress Glasiel and Mistress Elanor removing stinger after stinger from his scalp, face and neck.   
I did not stay long enough to see how damaged they were, for by then my own poor elfling was badly in need of treatment. No matter how upset I get with him at times-and this was unquestionably one of those times-I still cannot bear to see him suffer and he had been stung quite mercilessly. It did not take long to have my own stings treated, but it took the better part of an hour for Hwiniol and Canthui together to comb through his hair and remove all the stingers and treat the swellings with plantain salve. Afterwards I sent him to change to dry clothing and to await my return, while I go to check on the rest of the household.   
The first person I encounter is Mistress Elanor, who is contentedly humming to herself as she works on the evening meal. I haven’t even greeted her properly and here she’s already been thrown into a crisis and seems to be working on her own, and yet she seems completely unfazed by it. When I suggest that she must be ready to run to work for saner folks, she only laughs and assured me that isn’t the case.  
“I have raised four children, Lord Gimli, so this is just reminds me of a normal day from when they still lived at home,” she explains. “Things like this are to be expected where there are so many high spirited youngsters around. Indeed it is not unusual at all and certainly won’t be the last time we’re in a similar situation. Trouble seems to follow young elves; at least that has been my experience.”  
While I appreciate her attempt at being supportive, I could have lived without hearing that news. It would have been nicer to hear that such things were almost behind us instead of that we should expect more trouble for a long time to come. Not that I didn’t already know it, but to hear it spoken out loud only confirmed my fears. When I ask where I can find Aerlinn, Elanor points me to the sewing room where she had gone with Mistress Glasiel, stating that she had sent them off with a promise that she could handle the planning of the evening meal on her own.   
“The poor child was distraught and could do with some time to calm herself,” she tells me.   
I find Glasiel and Aerlinn sitting together working on some kind of project. I cannot tell what it is, but it looks like they are embroidering something on a pillow sham or at least Mistress Glasiel it. Aerlinn mainly seems to be holding a needle in one hand and a crumpled bit of fabric in the other and doing her best to blink back tears. As far as I can see there are only two small swellings that mar one slender arm, so her weeping is not from pain, something that is proven when upon seeing me enter the room she bursts into tears. Perhaps melts into tears is a better description, for she does so silently as she buries her face in the fabric in her hand. Glasiel sighs and goes to her side to put a comforting arm around her.   
“Lord Gimli, Aerlinn would like you to know how sorry she is that she withheld important information from you for so long,” Glasiel says, “she realizes now that she should have said something right away.”  
“Ye mustn’t blame yourself, Lass,” I tell her. “Tisn’t your fault that that pair of miscreants decided to take on such a foolhardy mission.”  
“It is my fault,” she sobs, raising her face to look at me. “I’ve studied bees and I knew they would swarm if their nest was being threatened and yet I said nothing because I was so angry that they discounted my plans for the hives. I wanted to be proven right so badly that I allowed the two of them to get seriously injured rather than doing what I should to stop them. And Master Forodren was hurt, and you Lord Gimli, and I could have prevented it if it weren’t for my foolish pride.”  
“We’ve discussed it, and I don’t believe she will make the same mistake again, Lord Gimli, if you’ll just give her another chance,” Glasiel vouches.   
“I’ve told ye already, your position here is not in jeopardy. I can hardly hold ye responsible for every foolish notions of a couple of reckless lads can I?” I say. “Besides ye’ll know better next time and nothing happened that a little time can’t cure. Ye mustn’t take on so.”  
“See Aerlinn, I told you Lord Gimli would be fair with you and all would be well,” Glasiel soothes her niece and then turns to me and nods. “Thank you my Lord.”  
“Of course,” I say, though in some confusion. I have no idea what made Aerlinn think she would be fired over this incident. Certainly she could have handled things better, but the way I see it, she is the one least at fault.  
As it turns out, Aerlinn is not the only one trying to take the blame for today’s catastrophe. I find Forodren and Gaearon in the chambers they share. Master Forodren looks rough, but Gaearon is in a much worse state than his father is and is lying down with a cold cloth over his eyes. I wince to see a cluster of swellings on his neck. That concerns me a great deal, for it seems to me that if it were to swell too much it might interfere with his breathing. When I suggest that perhaps we should load him up and take him to Lord Elrond, Master Forodren tells me that believe it or not the swelling is already abating, and besides that he intends to stay up to watch his son throughout the night and will alert me if things change. It makes sense, for elves tend to heal rather quickly, but still I shall have the on site healer who will arrive with tomorrow’s work crews take a look at him just in case.   
I am under the impression that Gaearon is asleep, but when he hears my voice, he reaches up with swollen hands and removes the cloth from his eyes and begins to sit up. I am shocked to see that one of his eyes is grotesquely swollen to the point where he cannot open it at all, while the other one is a mere slit. Master Forodren moves to push him back into the pillows and put the compress back in place. He then gently swats away the hand that tries once more to remove it.  
“Ada, I have to speak to Lord Gimli,” he complains, but puts his hands down at his side.   
“He can hear you fine from where you are, son. Be still,” Master Forodren orders.  
“Indeed I can,” I agree, “Say whatever ye must and then I shall see if Mistress Elanor can mix up something for your pain. Ye look dreadful, Lad.”  
“It is no more than I deserve,” he informs me. “No matter what Legolas told Adar or you, this whole thing was mostly my fault. I was the one who first suggested that Aerlinn’s ways of colonizing the hives was too slow and that we could come up with a better and faster way. He only found the hive for us and he hardly had to order me to go along to retrieve it. I wanted to do it to get back at her for complaining to her aunt about us.”  
“I thank ye for your honesty, Lad,” I tell him. “Ye are now the third person who has confessed to being at fault for this miserable afternoon. I suggest we all just put it behind us and move on, what do ye say?”  
“A sensible idea,” Forodren agrees. “it is all over now and there is little use dwelling on it anymore tonight, though I will say that you will have nothing to do with those hives again for a very, very long time.”  
I nod in agreement, though I don’t think it was strictly necessary to mention that stricture. Gaearon does not look to me like he’s at all interested in ever seeing a nest of bees again. I start to reach out to pat his hand, but change my mind because there is hardly a space between stings there. I finally settle for an ankle, since it’s not likely he was stung through his boots, and then I make my way back to the kitchen where I ask Mistress Elanor to make up some pain relieving tea only to find she already has it in hand.  
It is then that I hurry back upstairs and to my elfling, who is no doubt missing my presence by now. He turns toward me as I enter his chambers and I can see that his eyes are red and swollen too, both from the vicious bee stings and from the intermittent crying that has continued since our confrontation at the lake. He must be wrung out with it and with shame over his conduct and worry over his companions and his reputation with everyone here. I can also see he is aching for my forgiveness and the solace of my comfort, something I am never stingy with. Immediately he is in my arms, weeping hard for a few minutes, until I suggest that we get more comfortable by sitting together in the oversized chair that has been placed here for my comfort. I have spent many nights in this chair and may end up in it all night tonight if he has not settled down significantly by then.   
He has not spoken of being in pain, but I know he must be, because he doesn’t look much better than Gaearon did, though the majority of the stings seem to be up near his hairline rather than around his eyes, not even to mention the fact that I was hardly easy on him back at the lake this afternoon. I also know that his chest and belly are covered with swellings for he clearly didn’t think to tighten the collar of his shirt before beginning his encounter with the bees, which was foolish in the extreme. Still now is hardly time to scold, for I am sure he knows that by now, so I just pull him close and whisper soft assurances until I feel him relax into sleep. No matter who was at fault, it has been a long difficult day for everyone.  
It is sometime in the late afternoon before he wakes up and shifts out of my arms with a little groan, of pain. Or perhaps it is of trepidation, for he knows that he will eventually have to face everyone. But as it turns out he doesn’t’ speak of either of those things. Instead he surprises me by talking of something else.  
“Gimli,” he says, taking a deep breath, “I have to tell you something.”  
“All right, lamb, I’m listening.”  
“I’ve done something terrible that you don’t k now about.”  
I hold my breath for whatever it is he is about to say. He certainly has my attention! “It sounds like ye’d best be telling me then.”  
As is usual when it comes to confessing something to me, he spits it out all in a rush as if he might lose his nerve otherwise.  
“I told Aerlinn that I might move her back into the house if she didn’t want to listen to my ideas. I know I shouldn’t’ have done it and I wanted to take it back, but she stormed off and then I was too angry after that to retract it.” He peeks up at me to gauge my reaction and I can feel him tense as if to spring away if necessary, but I have a good grip on his arm, so he isn’t going anywhere until I release him.  
“I hope ye can see how wrong it was to abuse your power like that. Ye’d never shove Aerlinn or hit her if she argued with one of your ideas would ye?”  
“Of course not!” he exclaims, almost offended.  
“Well bullying with threats isn’t much different is it?”  
“I didn’t really mean it...” he begins.  
“But she has no way of knowing that. In fact I believe that must be what she was talking about when she mentioned that she might be sent away. Well the only thing to do is apologize as soon as possible and mean it, this time.”  
He nods in agreement  
“And ye can tell her personally that she has been placed in sole charge of taking care of the bees, and no one else-and I mean no one-is to go near them without her say so. And if I ever hear of you using such threats to intimidate a staff member again, ye’ll very quickly wish ye hadn’t. Is that plain?”  
He nods again not quite so enthusiastically but still accepting of the fact that it must be done, but then blushes as something else comes to mind.  
“I don’t think I can face her so soon Elvellon, not after…”  
“She’s not likely to gloat over being right about the bees, Lad. She was crying and blaming herself for everything last time I saw her.”  
“It’s not that, Gimli,” he says flushing further, “Its just that at the lake…”  
“OH!” I say recalling that the last time he saw her, he saw a little more of her than expected. “I don’t think she knows about that, Lad.”  
“But I know it!” he points out, “What will I do?”  
“All I can advise is when you talk to her keep your eyes on her face!”  
“Gimli!” I smile at his shocked expression.  
“I am only teasing lad,” I laugh, but then reconsider my words.. “Actually I’m not jesting. Not at all. Eyes on her face!”

XXXX  
I stand in the doorway that leads out into the garden and once again fail to take that step outside so that I can talk to Aerlinn. This is terrible I cannot spend the rest of the morning dithering on the doorstep, I promised Gimli I would apologise this morning and already half of the morn has gone by and I still cannot bring myself up to the point.  
I should not have turned coward yesterday afternoon and accepted Gimli’s offer of a quiet night in my chambers and an early night. “Ye will feel better in the morning Lamb as will the rest of the household; your apologies will come easier then.”

It was a mistake to put it off, for the deed has magnified in my mind so that I dread making the attempt to speak to her and my confidence in my ability to get her to listen to me has dissipated rather than grown. You would think that by now I would have my apologies off pat, I have after all apologised to every other member of my household …  
Most of the staff accepted my proffered expressions of regret with a smile and a quiet acceptance. Gaearon was adamant that there was no need for me to beg his pardon, insisting that he was equally at fault and hoping that he had not given me a dislike of him. His father said we were a ‘fine pair of fools’ and recommended that we ‘listen to those who knew better’ in future.

Mistress Elanor merely laughed when I told her that I was sorry her first day in post had been so chaotic. ‘No long term damage done Lord Legolas thank Eru and to be honest,’ here her eyes twinkled, ‘I like a little excitement in my life it does not do to be too staid too soon, most of the posts I have filled have been incredibly dull.’ Glasiel had laughed when she heard this telling her that no one could describe our household as boring!

So with all of those requests for forgiveness behind me why is it that I cannot find the words to tell Aerlinn how sorry I am to have dealt with her so poorly. When Gimli mentioned bullying last night it really shocked me, but of course he was quite correct to call my threat exactly that. How could I have sunk so low as to bully a member of my household? I am thoroughly ashamed of myself and it will be some time I think before I will be able to forgive myself for my words to Aerlinn.

And if that was not bad enough, I find myself remembering with far too perfect clarity how she looked when she emerged from the lake yesterday and that does strange things to my body and makes my mouth go dry at the perfect silhouette I glimpsed through her clothing. How can I face her when not only am I lacking in sufficient control over my own thoughts and reactions but I can hardly speak because of the lump in my throat.

At least the physical reminders of my encounter with the bees yesterday have faded, well at least the ones that can be seen by other folks. My hind quarters are still stinging and will probably continue to do so for another day at the very least, so that every time I am asked to sit down and ‘be comfortable’ I am anything but!   
Gaearon crosses the courtyard and gives me a wave, and I am brought back to my present predicament. It will not be long before we are all called in for noon meal and I have still not spoken with Aerlinn, which will be worse I ask myself, speaking with her or admitting to Gimli that I am too much of a coward to speak to one of my own staff and beg their pardon for my poor conduct. 

Taking a deep breath I make my feet move forward and am soon standing behind Aerlinn as she ties in the raspberry canes. Today she is dressed in a tunic and leggings her hair is held back in a single plait. As she leans over to pick up some more twine I have to pull my eyes away from her nicely rounded rump and I cannot stop the moan that issues from my mouth or the heat that rushes up to the tips of my ears.

She swings around and frowns when she sees who it is who has interrupted her work and I hurry to speak before she can.

“I … er … um …” when I say speak perhaps I was being a little too overconfident, because no coherent words seem to issue from my mouth.

“Good morning Lord Legolas is there something you needed?” her tone is guarded but at least she is being civil which is more than I deserve.

“No … I mean, yes … that is …” Once again I fall awkwardly silent then I lift my chin and clear my throat, “I mean yes, there is something I wish to speak to you about.”

“Oh!”

I brace myself and look her squarely in the face, “My conduct towards you in the last few days has nowhere reached what should be expected of anyone who would call himself lord. I spoke without thinking how my words would sound to you, but that is no excuse I should not have spoken as I did and I am heartily ashamed of the fact that I caused you grief and made you feel that your place here was in jeopardy. I wish to offer you my sincere apologies and to reassure you that I will not repeat such poor behaviour towards you or any other member of my household.” 

Her face softens a little as she listens to my words and a faint smile touches her lips. I look down as I realise I am moving my boot backward and forward across the ground like a penitent elfling and am twisting my own tunic in my hand. I blush up to the tips of my ears once again, and hurry to add, “The fact is Aerlinn that I am really very sorry. Can you bring yourself to forgive me?”

“I was not entirely without fault,” she answers, “it is not my business to speak out or question my employer, as my aunt frequently tells me and had I found myself dismissed from your service or worse forced back into the house I would have been as much to blame as you,. So there is nothing to forgive, it is over and forgotten as far as I am concerned.” 

“Thank you, I do not deserve your forgiveness but I am grateful and you need have no worries about my making such stupid threats in future Gimli has already threatened to skin me alive if I ever repeat such stupidity.”

Aerlinn laughs at that, “Lord Gimli has been very supportive and so sweet.”

I do not think Gimli would appreciate being called sweet, but since my task here today is to make amends for my own mistakes I believe it would be wiser not to tell him of Aerlinn’s views so instead I merely say, “He was not very sweet yesterday after the catastrophe with the bees.”

Now she blushes, and looks embarrassed, “It is my turn to beg pardon Lord Legolas, if only I had done as my heart bade me and told Lord Gimli immediately what you and Gaearon were planning much of what followed could have been avoided.”

“Perhaps, but the fault was mine and mine alone and I am only sorry so many others suffered because of my obstinate refusal to listen to your words of wisdom. Believe me I shall not make that mistake a second time.”

“Indeed, then I will hold you to that Lord Legolas”

I find myself grinning in response to her teasing, “Perhaps I had better explain myself more fully. I meant over the bees and the garden nothing more.” I tell her. She pouts but I can see she is laughing as well.

“How disappointing, but I suppose I cannot expect miracles you are an ellon after all and I have long been told by those in the know that it is almost an impossibility to get a young ellon to listen to a female or to take her seriously until they have reached their two thousandth begetting day at least.”

“And I have long been told that young elleth enjoy hearing themselves speak so much that they rarely hear what others are saying anyway.”

We glare at each other then burst into laughter which brings Gaearon over to see what we find so amusing I am glad he is with us for after we have all finished telling him of the various failings of elleth and ellon I tell Aerlinn about her being put in sole charge of the hives.

She claps her hands in delight and Gaearon and I exchange looks and wish her well, for neither of us is at all keen on going anywhere near the hives again. This morning I could not even look at the honey pot on the breakfast table let alone eat it.

I excuse myself as Aerlinn begins to tell Gaearon about her plans for encouraging the bees to take up home in the garden, and go back inside to tell Gimli that I have done what was needful and that Aerlinn and I are back on friendly terms at last.

I do not see her again until we all gather for the noon meal and she comes in last her eyes sparkling and obviously very happy with her lot in life. From the look of her I think she has something she wishes to share with us all but her aunt calls her out to help carry in the vegetable dishes so whatever it was she wanted to say will have to wait. 

Still the atmosphere is much more relaxed and everyone is chatting and talking over what they have been doing this morning when Mistress Glasiel, Mistress Elanor, and Aerlinn enter and place the food on the table.

“We have made this especially for you Lord Legolas, ” Glasiel pronounces “we thought you needed a little something to cheer you up after yesterday.”

She lifts the lids off the main dish which Gimli at the head of the table will carve and I stare in horror at a baked ham covered in a thick golden honey glaze. I swallow on the bile that has risen in my throat as what had been the pleasant smell of honey assails my nostrils and whisper to Gimli that I do not think I can swallow any of it not even to please Mistress Glasiel.

Gimli chuckles and pats my hand, “It’ll not be that hard, lad, just breathe through your nose and do your best.”

I manage to choke down a mouthful and even to comment that it is very good but am desperate to get away from the table as soon as possible save that Aerlinn who has waited until all are served speaks up saying she has wonderful news to share with us.

Everyone looks towards her and she announces with obvious pride that two of the hives have now be colonised, “we will soon have our own supply of honey for the table.” She tells us.

This news is greeted with joyful exclamations and comments on how good it will be to have a plentiful supply of our own honey.

I am not certain if I turn green or whether it is just my imagination but Gimli answers for both of us as to how happy we are that her methods have proved to be successful as the meal comes to an end we all go our own ways.

Gimli’s dark eyes are dancing with mischief as we make our way up to our sitting room, and I know I am in for some serious teasing as he remarks. “Now if that don’t beat all! Just when you have taken the stuff in dislike it seems as we are to be the beneficiaries of a surfeit of honey Lamb. It's what might be described as a pretty painful sting in the tail to this whole sorry episode as far as you are concerned wouldn’t you say?”

I do not deign to answer turning my back and staring resolutely out into the gardens ignoring Gimli’s deep chuckles and snorts it is then that my ears are assailed by an insistent buzzing …

As if to add insult to injury I find a bee buzzing up and down the window pane waiting for me to liberate it so it can go back outside and take up residence in those bedamned hives in the gardens below me. My hand hovers over a nearby book but a cough from behind me brings me back to reality, if I was so foolish as to swat it I would likely be overwhelmed by a hundred of its kindred seeking revenge.

And frankly my tail is stinging sufficiently as it is thank you very much and as for honey I will never eat the stuff again I swear.


End file.
